3 ms·

Generally the people who are advocating for a union are doing it to level the playing field for themselves against you.

by thepasswordis 4y ago

bombolo 4y ago
Yes for example an immigrant that is under threat of being deported might want a more level playing field.
- dantheman 4y ago
  Unions are anti-immigrant.
  - bombolo 4y ago
    And companies are pro-exploitation-of-immigrants… and not very pro-immigrants.
  - wpietri 4y ago
    Do you have any current data on that? I think it was true of the "Reagan Democrat" variety of union worker in the 1980s, but I suspect it's an outdated stereotype now. For example, SEIU, one of America's largest unions, represents a lot of immigrants and is strongly pro-immigrant: https://www.seiu.org/justice-for-immigrants/ https://www.seiu.org/justice-for-immigrants/
    - ThrowawayR2 4y ago
      The only reason blue collar workers' unions changed their tune is because they were unable to stop the flow of illegal immigration. On the other hand, restricting H-1Bs and green cards is a battle that many think they can win.
      - wpietri 4y ago
        It is disappointing to ask for data and get more unsubstantiated opinion.
    - missedthecue 4y ago
      It's not really true any longer, but it was at one point. The head of the AFL-CIO admits here that unions were strongly anti immigration for decades. Only in the past few years have they changed their official opinion. https://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171175054/how-the-labor-movement-did-a-180-on-immigration https://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171175054/how-the-labor-movem...
      - wpietri 4y ago
        There's a big difference between being anti-immigration and anti-immigrant. All of the latter people are also the former, of course. But there are people who want lower immigration even though they have no problem with the immigrants who are here. Some union people are surely in that bucket just for "reduce job competition" reasons.
- ThrowawayR2 4y ago
  Historically, unions in the United States have been strongly anti-immigrant because they were seen as competitors who lowered wages. Anyone who has been on HN long enough has seen the undercurrent of anti-H-1B sentiment whenever the topic comes up and a union would bring that nastiness and racism out to center stage. No, no immigrants in tech are going to want to vote for a union because a lot of its members think immigrants are part of the playing field that needs to be "leveled".
  - fallingknife 4y ago
    It's not racism to oppose policies that lower my salary

Generally the people who are advocating for a union are doing it to level the playing field for themselves against you.

bombolo 4y ago

Yes for example an immigrant that is under threat of being deported might want a more level playing field.

dantheman 4y ago
Unions are anti-immigrant.
- bombolo 4y ago
  And companies are pro-exploitation-of-immigrants… and not very pro-immigrants.
- wpietri 4y ago
  Do you have any current data on that? I think it was true of the "Reagan Democrat" variety of union worker in the 1980s, but I suspect it's an outdated stereotype now. For example, SEIU, one of America's largest unions, represents a lot of immigrants and is strongly pro-immigrant: https://www.seiu.org/justice-for-immigrants/ https://www.seiu.org/justice-for-immigrants/
  - ThrowawayR2 4y ago
    The only reason blue collar workers' unions changed their tune is because they were unable to stop the flow of illegal immigration. On the other hand, restricting H-1Bs and green cards is a battle that many think they can win.
    - wpietri 4y ago
      It is disappointing to ask for data and get more unsubstantiated opinion.
  - missedthecue 4y ago
    It's not really true any longer, but it was at one point. The head of the AFL-CIO admits here that unions were strongly anti immigration for decades. Only in the past few years have they changed their official opinion. https://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171175054/how-the-labor-movement-did-a-180-on-immigration https://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171175054/how-the-labor-movem...
    - wpietri 4y ago
      There's a big difference between being anti-immigration and anti-immigrant. All of the latter people are also the former, of course. But there are people who want lower immigration even though they have no problem with the immigrants who are here. Some union people are surely in that bucket just for "reduce job competition" reasons.
ThrowawayR2 4y ago
Historically, unions in the United States have been strongly anti-immigrant because they were seen as competitors who lowered wages. Anyone who has been on HN long enough has seen the undercurrent of anti-H-1B sentiment whenever the topic comes up and a union would bring that nastiness and racism out to center stage. No, no immigrants in tech are going to want to vote for a union because a lot of its members think immigrants are part of the playing field that needs to be "leveled".
- fallingknife 4y ago
  It's not racism to oppose policies that lower my salary